Colloquium Speaker: MG David P. Fridovich

Major General David P. Fridovich, USA, is Commander, U. S. Special Operations Command, Pacific.

Colloquium Topic: War On Terror in Asia, "Basilan Model" and Indirect Approach

MG Fridovich will address the mission, roles and functions of a Theater Special Operations Command, particularly Special Operations Command, Pacific (SOCPAC). Combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan dominate the headlines, but Southeast Asia has emerged as a quiet yet increasingly crucial front in the Long War. Given the suicide bombings in Bali, the presence of the terrorist groups Jemaah Islamiyah and Abu Sayyaf, and increased anti-Americanism, the need for a continued and comprehensive approach to combating terror in the Pacific is clear. The SOCPAC has been improving ties with regional allies and increasingly applying an indirect approach to address the threat posed by militant groups with connections to al Qaeda.